Yet, most discriminate reader, the idea is purely fanciful. I, who write this contradiction to it, know the Temple as well as you know the hearth before which, every eventide, you sit; and, moreover, I am not unacquainted with other places on this multifarious earth; and certainly I can recall no spot where "merchants congregate," no quarter where are assembled the world's workers, that can vie in beauty, in cleanliness, in cheerfulness, with thee, O timehonoured Temple !

Nowhere, within the precincts of this overgrown London, flourishes there greener grass; and here, in the rich autumn months, have I seen two or three score of carriages, in the day, with no mean coronets, and with even strawberry-leaves on the panels (and the world, not I, makes much of these things),

put down noble ladies, who have come from

the far and holy West, to see the Temple chrysanthemums. And you, fair reader! who have, I doubt not, bachelor friends usque ad nauseam, even to being bored, ask some of them if they know aught about chambers in this locality of which I write; and if they be frank with you (as why should they not?), I doubt not you will turn from the popular opinion, and be of mine. Ask the nursemaids and the rosy-cheeked children who come, of summer afternoons, to disport themselves in front of our windows, what they think about the matter. I agree for them to be umpires.

Edgar Huntingdon, at least, was well satisfied with his unpretending chambers in Garden Court. The principal hours of the day, however, he spent in King's Bench Walk, in the chambers of a Mr. Trantham, a wellknown special-pleader, by whom he was

initiated into the sacred mysteries of the law. Mr. Trantham had three other pupils -Horace Cooper, Charles Etheridge, and George Hamilton. These young men were pretty fair specimens of the race who read in barristers' chambers. They were perhaps more devoted to balls than briefs, and yet not absolutely idlers, with, maybe, the exception of Horace Cooper. When they were all in the pupil-room together, any continuous application was out of the question; and it was fortunate for Edgar, who was by nature energetic, and by intention earnest, that they seldom made their appearance before one o'clock; so that by being at chambers at ten, and joining Trantham in his own. room, when so inclined, he had, after all, but little difficulty in pursuing his bent. And, to give an opinion, I do not think that my

hero was much injured by being occasionally forced to desist from labour, and join in the vivacious and somewhat noisy amusements of his companions. At first, I fear, they thought him rather proud, unsociable, and young; and he them, flippant and purposeless. They had already since discovered that he was signally amiable; as free from a reserved hauteur as is consistent with self-respect, and at least as experienced as themselves. Nor had he failed to find that, though they were not the most industrious fellows in the world, they contrived to pick up legal knowledge, and had a sincere intention of getting on in life, somehow. With Cooper, he was rapidly contracting an intimacy that might, without much desecration, be already termed friendship; with the other two all distance, at least, had departed.

Seven months had Edgar now pursued his legal studies. It was a hot May morning; he had got through more than his usual amount of work; the rest had arrivedCooper, as usual, making his appearance last.

"Well, Huntingdon, who was the belle last night at Sir Winter's? Eh, old fellow? Was it Miss Fairfort? Come now, be honest." He turned to the others. "I assure you, Huntingdon danced with her the whole night. She certainly comes up to old Terence's description

"Voltu, Sosia!

Adeo modesto, adeo venusto, ut nihil supra.”

I did not expect to find you here this morning, amorous Master Edgar! Strong-minded

"So strong-minded," said Edgar, laughing,

"that I have been working here since half

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